Seam-opening tool.



M. COURTER.

SEAM OPENING TDOL.

APPLICATION FILED 11:50.5, I916.

1 55,6QQ Patented; Feb.12,1918.

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MARTIN COURTER', OF SNEAIDS ISLAND, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO FRED D. WAITE, OF PALMETTO, FLORIDA,

SEAIJI-OPENING TOOL.

Application filed December 5, 1916.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN COURTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sneads Island, in the county of Manatee and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seam-Opening Tools; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to seam opening tools.

T 1e object of this invention is the provision of a seam opening tool which is especially adapted for opening of the seam of boats, ships or the like before the calking operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tool which is provided with a casing which constitutes guides and is so secured to the tool as to limit the movement of the tool in the seam of a boat, and thus adjust the tool to various sizes as required by the seam to be opened and the placing of the calking materials therein, such as oakum or the like.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a seam opening tool which is especially adapted for boats, ships or the like, and is equipped with novel means whereby the blade at one end of the tool is adjustably fitted in the seam and the seam opened to a predetermined size to permit oakum or other calking material to be placed therein.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a seam opening tool of this character which will be simple, practical, and comparatively inexpensive in construction and one that can be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and set forth in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved seam opening tool as made in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation with one of the sides removed and illustrating the manner in which the casing is adjusted on the blade,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 3918.

Serial No. 135,158.

Fig. 4: is a sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 3.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures-of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the shank of the blade which has the opposite side faces of one end beveled as at 2 and terminating into a cutting edge 3. The cutting edge is preferably semi-circular the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The opposite end of the shank 1 is provided with a handle 4., which may be of any configuration suitable for the purpose, the handle 4: projects laterally beyond the opposite side faces of the shank l at its point of connection therewith as at 5 and has its under side edges concave as at 6 to form a bearing surface, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described. The shank 1 is provided centrally of its opposite side longitudinal edges with a plurality of spaced transversely extending openings 7, which openings are adapted to pivotally receive and secure the hood members 8 to the shank l.

The hood members 8 comprise in their construction the substantially semi-circular body 9 having their curved edges 10 adapted to slidably engage the concave face 13 of the under side of the laterally projecting portions 5 of the handle 4, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The hood members 8 are arranged on opposite sides of the shank 1, and pivotally secured thereto by a bolt 11 which extends transversely through the one opening 12 in the members 8 and one of the openings in the shank l, and secured therein by a nut 13 which nut is secured to the threaded end 14 of the bolt 11, this bolt permits the members S to be adjustably arranged so as to compensate for the depth to which the shank 1 may be forced into a seam.

The hood members 8 are provided near their curved edges 10 with arcuately arranged openings 15 which are adapted to receive a bolt 16 therein, which bolt extends through one of the openings 15 and one of the openings 7 in the shank thus position ing the hood members at various angles about the shank l as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The bolts 16 are held against accidental withdrawal by a nut 17 which is secured to the threaded ends 18 as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The semi-circular members 9 are spaced aboutthe shank 1 by having their peripheral opposing facesproi'ided with inwardly 6X1 tending flanges 18, which flanges are adapted to abut, thus spacing the semi-circular members 9 from the shank 1 and permits the same to be readily removed to various angles upon the pivot bolt 11 and held in various angles or positions by the bolt 16 as can be clearly understood by referring to the drawings.

In operation:

The semi-circular members 9 are adjusted so as to be arranged at a certain angle about the blade or cutting edge 3 of the shank 1. The cutting edge 3 of the shank 1 is then inserted in the seam of the boat and driven in until the edge of the semi-circular members abut the body of the bolt. The handle member 4 is then struck by a mallet and the knife 3 or edge 3 of the shank is forced along the seam opening the same without the necessity of removing the same therefrom at various intervals.

\Vhat is claimed is:

In combination, a seam opening tool ineluding a flat shank having one end curved laterally and beveled on its opposite side faces to define a cutting edge, the opposite end of said shank reduced to define a handle, said'shank provided on its opposite side faces adjacent the handle with laterally extending projections having their un der sides curved to provide concave bearing faces, the body of the shank provided with a plurality of relatively spaced longitudinally arranged openings, a hood comprising a pair of members secured to the opposite side faces of the shank, the edges of the hood being convex to engage the concave bearing faces of the projections of the shank to permit the same to be adjusted thereon, means for pivotally securing the hood members to the shank, and means for holding the hood members in their adjusted position with relation to the shank, said hood members adapted to be varied with relation to the cutting edge of the shank to determine the depth in which the cutting edge may be inserted, in the seam of a bolt or the like.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN COURTER.

Witnesses:

C. L. CARLTON, O. E. Benson.

Copies of this pat ent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

